sids and beds

Just read recently that in Japan and New Zealand , they’ve reduced SIDS [sudden infant death syndrome] to zero by, in japan, sleeping on futons, and in New Zealand, by wrapping infant mattresses in plastic.

Evidentally the flame retardants added to mattresses are so toxic, they are the likely and avoidable cause of this tragic loss of infant life.

The reduction in SIDS by placing babies on their backs [an un-natural position for an infant] is due to the increased distance from the mattress. The toxic fumes are most dense and inch and below its surface.

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3 thoughts on “sids and beds”

Very interesting. I wonder if SIDS is as bad in countries that don’t use the chemicals that we do, especially more developing nations. If the flame-retardant theory is true, it would be ironic that something thought to be safer is more unsafe in a different way!!

Thanks a bunch for the appreciation Nazaneen. I wonder too about that. Did you read last Sunday’s article in the NY Times magazine about flame retardants? At least one of the engineers whose research had been quoted said that it in actual practice doesn’t lower the damage of fires. and there’s another book out on breasts that cites the evidence of high levels of flame retardant in breast milk! yech!